Pipeline Explosion Kills 30 in Nigeria

Published: July 17, 2000

WARRI, Nigeria, July 16—
A ruptured pipeline exploded near a refinery in southern Nigeria today, killing at least 30 villagers who had been scooping up gushing gasoline at the site, local officials said.

The accident occurred less than a week after more than 250 villagers died in a pipeline explosion at Adeje, a village about five miles away.

Witnesses said fire crews were still battling the blaze at the refinery as night fell, many hours after it was reported at dawn today.

Pipeline fires are common in the region, where thieves frequently puncture pipelines to steal fuel.

Witnesses said the villagers had been siphoning off gasoline from the pipeline after puncturing it today. They were transferring the gas from the pipeline to a vessel lying in the nearby Warri River when the explosion occurred, they said.

Hospital workers said they expected the death toll to climb. Reporters saw at least 15 badly burned people in a hospital, and doctors said many had little chance of survival.